Govt. e-passes, a cruel joke, in absence of high-speed internet: Rafi Mir
SRINAGAR, April 18: Jammu Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) senior leader and former legislator, Rafi Ahmad Mir on Saturday urged the J&K UT government to accelerate its efforts to ensure succor to stranded J&K residents and devise a hassle-free mechanism for issuance of travel passes to the deserving people.
“While we understand that the government is making every possible effort to ensure succor to J&K residents who are stranded in different parts of the country, we urge the government to accelerate its efforts and issue passes to the deserving people,” Mir said.
In a statement issued here, the JKAP senior leader said people have largely cooperated with the government and now the government must also reciprocate by ensuring a workable solution to their problems. He said the government has rolled out electronic e- pass facility but it seems to be a cruel joke in absence of high speed Internet.
Mir also said that institutional coordination needs to be strengthened and the appointed nodal officers outside J&K should be more accessible and responsive towards stranded residents. He further said that dissemination of information from the government should also be in the Urdu language for more effectiveness and better reach out.
“While we appreciate the role of frontline members of civil administration and police, the higher-ups in the government must also devise a more workable solution in the present situation. At times, it has been observed that the passes issued by the District Magistrates from other states are not honored at the Lakhanpur border, and the J&K residents are forced to turn back, this is a clear lack of communication and coordination,” he added.
Mir said that same has been observed with pesticide dealers, whose passes are not honored for inter and intra district movement. He said a huge chunk of the population had migrated outside J&K in connection with studies, healthcare issues and employment. “Until the government of India takes a favorable decision for these stranded residents to return to J&K, their day-to-day based issues should be taken care of,” he added.
